News • 04.05.2022

Blue Yonder: Most consumers willing to delay deliveries if it's more sustainable

Survey finds 86% of consumers willing to wait longer for their orders if it helps the environment, 44% say their interest in shopping sustainably has increased since the start of the pandemic

A road in a forest, leading to some mountains
Source: grakozy / Unsplash

Blue Yonder has released findings from its 2022 Consumer Sustainability Survey, which revealed retail consumer preferences related to sustainable shopping habits. The survey found that more than three-quarters (86%) of consumers are willing to delay e-commerce deliveries for the sake of improving sustainability if given an incentive to do so. Of those respondents, 29% are willing to delay deliveries up to five days and 28% are willing to delay a week or more.

The data also showed the COVID-19 pandemic had a noticeable impact on consumer sustainability habits. Nearly half (44%) of consumers said their interest in shopping sustainably increased since the start of the pandemic.

“During the pandemic, many businesses had to temporarily trade-off sustainability for the sake of public health and safety. Essential stores such as grocery eliminated reusable bag use and nearly all brick-and-mortar shops strengthened or in some cases added new online commerce operations with delivery options. This shifted more sales online that previously would have occurred in-store,” said Edward Wong, senior vice president, Global Retail Sector Leader at Blue Yonder. “As retail emerges from pandemic-era practices, sustainability is back in focus. The findings of this study reflect the paradigm shift toward a more environmentally friendly supply chain as consumers are now willing to do their part to embrace more sustainable shopping habits.”

Consumers willing to do their part

Retail e-commerce sales are expected to grow by 50% over the next four years. To help limit the environmental impact of their online shopping, the survey found that consumers are willing to do their part by recycling, spending more on sustainable packaging or even setting minimum spending requirements on deliveries:

  • 81% of consumers recycle boxes/bags from in-store and online shopping at least half the time and more than half (53%) recycle the packaging 75-100% of the time
  • 64% are willing to spend more on sustainable packaging, with 44% willing to spend up to 5% more
  • 40% agree there should be a minimum amount a consumer must spend to qualify for expedited shipping or shipping in general

Social media influences shopping frequency at sustainable retailers

The survey also revealed that social media has influenced over half (52%) of consumers’ sustainable shopping frequency. Nearly half (45%) said they were slightly-to-moderately influenced and 7% said they were moderately-to-significantly influenced.

For those influenced by social media, Facebook and Instagram had the biggest influence with 31% and 28%, respectively. Facebook is the most popular platform for ages 45 and older and Instagram for ages 18-44. Surprisingly, TikTok (16%) and Snapchat (5%) were not as large of an influence with consumers overall. However, these platforms had a larger appeal for respondents ages 18-29, with TikTok at 28%.

“Businesses are in a unique position to start making smarter decisions that consider not only profit, but the environment and humankind. With the use of powerful new technologies, these factors are no longer mutually exclusive,” continued Wong. “Forecasting demand using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) is one of the most effective ways to do this. These advanced tools can detect obscure business patterns from hundreds of variables, including the weather, price elasticity, and events, to predict sales at the most granular levels. This allows businesses to operate responsibly (and profitably) via reduced waste, more efficient production, smarter transportation strategies, and reduced resource consumption.”

The full report can be downloaded here.

Source: Blue Yonder

related articles:

popular articles:

Thumbnail-Photo: Joint forces to create the future of autonomous delivery...
12.12.2022   #Tech in Retail #app

Joint forces to create the future of autonomous delivery

Carrefour and Goggo Network French trialling autonomous delivery of Carrefour Drive orders

Carrefour and Goggo Network are trialling a Mobile Drive service that involves using a completely autonomous delivery vehicle. It will operate on public roads, both in heavy traffic and in normal conditions (covering 15 km at up to 70 km/h) – ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Wolt Drive: Finnish delivery service now makes its fleet available to...
21.11.2022   #online trading #brick and mortar retail

"Wolt Drive": Finnish delivery service now makes its fleet available to all traders

Interview: Wolt offers local traders new opportunities to keep up with online trade

Online retail has dominated the industry not only since the pandemic. Young people in particular, but increasingly older people as well, use the web to do their shopping. This primarily benefits the market-dominating internet giants. In order for ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Become the hero of your customers!
11.01.2023   #online trading #e-commerce

Become the hero of your customers!

Optimise your international shipping strategy – here's how

Omnichannel shopping is in high demand. Almost half of European online shoppers ordered internationally last year. For many e-commerce companies, the opportunities offered by selling their goods internationally are tempting. But in order to retain ...

Thumbnail-Photo: DHL Supply Chain expands partnership with Locus Robotics...
26.10.2022   #logistics #automation

DHL Supply Chain expands partnership with Locus Robotics

Locus autonomous mobile robots double e-commerce productivity for global outdoor apparel retail brand Carhartt

Locus Robotics, a producer of mobile robots (AMRs) for fulfillment warehouses, announces the expansion of their partnership with DHL Supply Chain, the contract logistics leader within Deutsche Post DHL Group. The extended partnership includes the ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Please board, doors close automatically
30.11.2022   #digitization #sustainability

"Please board, doors close automatically"

The "CargoSurfer" project aims to get parcels to their destination sustainably by public transport

Whether by bus, train, suburban railway or underground – public transport should be used more. But why only by us people? That's what the brains behind the CargoSurfer project were asking themselves. Prof. André Ludwig from ...

Thumbnail-Photo: With mailing bags against cardboard shortage & packaging waste...
14.11.2022   #online trading #e-commerce

With mailing bags against cardboard shortage & packaging waste

Interview: Hamburg-based start-up Boomerang tries to solve two problems of online trade with one stone thanks to an innovative idea

Since the pandemic, online trade is booming like never before. But what sounds like a blessing can also become a burden. Packaging waste is increasing rapidly and polluting the environment. At the same time, the global crises are causing a shortage ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Weekly groceries almost delivering themselves to your doorstep...
09.01.2023   #online trading #e-commerce

Weekly groceries almost delivering themselves to your doorstep

LOXO presents Europe's first autonomous delivery vehicle for last mile delivery

Lack of staff and processes with optimization potential in retail? LOXO kills two birds with one stone and releases the brand new LOXO Alpha on the streets of Switzerland already at the beginning of this year: an innovative answer to the dynamically ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Black Friday and Cyber Monday: challenges, stumbling blocks and solutions...
23.11.2022   #e-commerce #brick and mortar retail

Black Friday and Cyber Monday: challenges, stumbling blocks and solutions

What matters before, during and after big shopping events

Bargains, deals and savings as far as the eye can see: Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just around the corner, ushering in the most competitive time of the year. We spoke to Stefan Mennecke, Vice President of Sales - MEA, Central, Eastern ...